Florida International University (FIU) is an urban research university located in Miami, Florida's largest population center. The mission of this state university is to serve the people of southeast Florida, the state, the nation and the international community by imparting knowledge through excellent undergraduate and graduate teaching, by creating new knowledge through research, and by promoting public service. Five strategic themes guide the University's development: International, Environmental, Urban, Health, and Information. FIU focuses on these themes with a commitment to quality and cultural diversity. [unreadable] [unreadable] With 35,000+ (students enrolled Fall 2004, 70.9% minority), "Health" as a designated mission area, and its goal to be one of the nation's top 25 public urban research universities, FIU provides a significant opportunity to develop more underrepresented minority scientists for biomedical research careers. [unreadable] [unreadable] The MBRS program at FIU has fostered faculty research by enabling selected faculty to conduct biomedical research with adequate funding for equipment and supplies as well as salary support for summer research. The program also encourages interdisciplinary interchange and facilitates resource sharing and provides faculty expenses to present their results at national meetings. Additionally, it provides the building of a research experience and data base so as to encourage the faculty to obtain additional, non-MBRS support for their research. This proposal will continue these efforts. After FIU review, 7 subprojects and 2 pilot projects are contained in this supplement to the SCORE grant that currently supports 9 subprojects (and 8 subprojects and one pilot pending supplement review). They represent ongoing research efforts within the broad spectrum of biomedical research at Florida International University, specifically in the fields of theoretical chemistry, nutritional chemistry, developmental biology, gene array bioinformatics, toxicology modeling and prediction, Prion biochemistry, mental and physical health in older stressed populations, molecular engineering, and neuropathology. The results of these projects will not only provide important scientific information but will also strengthen the specific, participating faculty's ability to compete for extramural biomedical research funding and greatly enhance the biomedical research environment at FIU for faculty and students. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]